Anelka keeps Ancelotti’s Chelsea streak intact

Chelsea 1 Porto 0. Carlo Ancelotti kept his seven-match winning streak at Chelsea intact last night after the Blues withstood a lively Porto challenge - and the absence of Didier Drogba due to suspension - to close out their first Champions League group game after a Nicolas Anelka strike just after the interval.

With Stamford Bridge under a deluge throughout the game, the surface was not conducive to neat, passing football, although Frank Lampard sought to make the most of the treacherous surface by trying his luck from range against Porto's keeper Helton, whose handling was suspect.

But the visitors had come to attack, and Petr Cech found himself having to pull off a sharp save with his legs from Porto's wonderfully named Hulk. John Terry was also called upon to repel attacks, and the Chelsea back line, usually so redoubtable, had a shaky air to it in the incessant downpour.

With half time on the horizon, Porto could have taken a lead that wouldn't have gone against the general run of play, but an unmarked Guarin could only head over the bar from less than ten yards as the Blues hung on for the whistle.

The restorative effect of an Ancelotti team talk was plain for all to see, however, as the Chelsea that emerged for the second half displayed a sense of purpose and commitment lacking from their first half endeavours.

Within three minutes of the restart, Anelka ran onto a Salomon Kalou through ball, and while his initial effort was beaten out by Helton, the French international was lucky second time round as he pulled the ball back from an angle into the net.

Suddenly Chelsea were alive, and Florent Malouda and Kalou missed chances to put the game beyond the reach of Porto. Instead the visitors continued to press, and worried Chelsea almost until the final whistle, when Fernando was sent off for a second yellow card with just minutes to go.

"[I was] not anxious, but at the end of the match we had difficulty controlling the attacking of Porto," Ancelotti said to journalists afterwards. "Porto at the end played very well but it's normal to have a difficult game. It's good for us to win and also to have difficulties because that is normal." ·